Drought Hurts Fresno County Crop Value, Dropping Behind Tulare County

For the first time, almonds topped grapes as Fresno County's number one crop in 2013.

Credit Joe Moore / Valley Public Radio

A report released today shows that Fresno's agricultural industry has slipped out of its first-place standing in the state. The 2013 Fresno County crop report shows that its total gross value of agricultural products last year was $6.4 billion, over $1.3 billion behind Tulare County--the first time since 2002 that Tulare swung to the top of the list.

The 2013 report also marks two other records: for the first time, almonds topped grapes as Fresno County's #1 crop, finally giving the county its second billion-dollar crop industry. Overall, the county is still 2.3 percent behind where it was in 2012 and 6.5 percent behind 2011's record year, owing to water shortages and ongoing drought conditions.

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